Application Deadline
The application deadline for the Fall semester is January 15. Applications received slightly after this deadline may still be reviewed, but with potentially lower priority. Normally, applications will be accepted for the Fall semester only. Enrollment in the Spring semester will be considered on an individual basis. Applicants are encouraged to contact individual faculty members to discuss their research interests before applying to the graduate program.
Application Checklist
Prospective graduate students should submit the following materials via UC Merced Graduate Division website:
- Application form completed online;
- Application fee (** The ME program will reimburse the application fee to all graduate students who are admitted to the program and begin their graduate studies at UC Merced. ** A limited number of application fee waivers are available; please contact us for more info. **);
- All official transcripts;
- Three letters of recommendation from instructors or supervisors who can comment on the applicant’s scholarly ability and promise as a researcher;
- Official score reports (TOEFL or IELTS) if the applicant’s native language and/or language of instruction at their previous institution is not English;
- The reporting of Graduate Record Exam (GRE) scores are optional;
- Statement of Purpose; and
- Personal History.
Admissions Criteria
At a minimum, applicants must:
- Hold a baccalaureate degree or its equivalent from an accredited institution with a major appropriate for graduate studies in mechanical engineering;
- Have a satisfactory scholastic average, usually a minimum grade-point average (GPA) of 3.0 on US 4.0 scale (letter grade B) or equivalent in undergraduate studies is required. This requirement is waived only for exceptional cases, where the applicant has demonstrated strong academic skills subsequent to their undergraduate studies; and
- Provide TOEFL or IELTS scores (for international applicants, for whom the language of instruction at their previous institution is not English). Please see International Application Information for details.
For the applicants who satisfy the requirements above, admission decisions are made in a holistic fashion, taking into account GPA and test scores (where applicable), as well as the content of supporting documents (letters of recommendation, statement of purpose, personal history) and the availability of positions, and a good match between the research interests of the applicant and ME graduate program faculty.
Applicants are strongly encouraged to contact faculty members they are interested in working with, prior to submitting applications.
Financial Support
Our Ph.D. program is fully funded. Students admitted to the Ph.D. program may initially be offered up to 4 years of financial support, but the support is extended through the accomplishment of the degree, which usually takes 4-6 years. Several forms of financial support are available to facilitate the pursuit of a graduate education in mechanical engineering at UC Merced. These typically come in the form of internal and external fellowships, Graduate Student Researcher (GSR) appointments, or Teaching Assistantships (TA).
Find more information on fellowships here, keeping in mind that the deadline for internal fellowships for prospective/incoming grad students is January 15.
Contact Information
Coordinator, Graduate Program Services
Office: (209) 228-4024
ME Gradute Admissions Chair
Office: (717) 255-9000
